The present invention relates generally to window shades, and more particularly to retractable window shades for the rear windows of automobiles.
Rear window shades are becoming increasingly popular for sedans. For space-saving reasons they are usually mounted below the rear window shelf so that in the retracted state they distract as little as possible.
So that no items can become lost in the slit for the rear window shade when it is retracted, the pull rod is often designed in such a way that it covers the slit to the greatest possible extent. A comparatively wide pull rod is needed for this because the width of the slit is a result of the radial distance of the winding shaft from the top of the rear window shelf and the inclination of the rear window. However, pull rods of such a width are considered to be distracting when the rear window shade is extended.
A rear window shade having a winding shaft which is rotatably seated below the rear window shelf and to which one edge of the window shade web is fastened is described in DE 42 02 061 A1. The other edge of the window shade web is attached to a pull rod operated by means of levers, which are pivotable around axes located next to the winding shaft and extending parallel with the vehicle axis. In the retracted state, the pull rod is pulled back underneath the slit.
A movable flap, whose movement is controlled by the pull rod, is provided in the rear window shelf for closing the slit. The flap is pre-stressed in the open position by means of a spring and is maintained closed by the retracted pull rod. The mechanical seating arrangement for the flap is elaborate and, because of the space conditions, must be intricate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a window shade for rear windows of motor vehicles which is adapted for simple installation and which is capable of covering the window shade slit in the rear window shelf.
Another object is to provide a window shade of the above kind that is sturdy in construction and reliable in operation.
In carrying out the invention, a window shade is provided that has a window shade frame that is movably seated in bearing arrangements adjacent the rear window. This arrangement allows for two options:
The window shade frame itself can be used as a closing element for the slit in the rear window shelf so that separate parts which would have to be seated on the support of the winding shaft can be omitted. Moreover, seating the window shade shaft in the window shade frame allows an adjustment of the position of the winding shaft in such a way that the winding shaft can be brought into a more advantageous position in the sense that it is arranged closer to the slit so that a narrower slit can be used.
If the pull rod of the rear window shade is guided in lateral guide rails, the plane defined by the window shade web performs a more or less large pivot movement when the rear window shade is extended. The axis of the pivot movement is the line along which the window shade web is released from the circumference of the window shade web on the winding shaft. The farther the circumference of the winding shaft is located from the slip, the greater the width of the slit needs to be, so that no undesired contact between the edges of the slit and the window shade web occurs during the pivot movement. To this extent, the movable seating of the winding shaft is capable of moving it into a position in which it adjoins the slit more closely.
The other option lies in closing the slit off by means of the pull rod. This development enables the slit, which is being closed by the pull rod, to be extremely narrow. The slit can be narrowed by means of the movable seating of the winding shaft without, as mentioned above, a contact between the window shade web and the slit edge occurring in the course of extending the former.
Favorable space conditions, along with a rugged embodiment of the window shade frame, are obtained if the window shade frame has a tube-shaped element within which the winding shaft is contained. The tube-shaped element is provided with a continuous slit over its length, through which at least the window shade web exits, but through which the pull rod can also be pulled out. The tube-shaped element can be flattened in the area of its lateral faces so that it closes off the slit in the rear window shelf as cleanly as possible.
If the slit is closed by the pull rod, it suffices for the window shade frame to be formed by two separate parts, which are connected with each other via the winding shaft, and wherein each one is seated in the vehicle body or underneath the rear window shelf. The window shade frame can be substantially cylindrical, wherein seating members at the end are provided in the front ends of the tube-shaped element. In this case the movement axis extends through the interior of the tube-shaped element.
The actuation of the far edge of the window shade web is performed with the aid of guide rails extending on either side of the movement path of the pull rod. So that the pull rod can be retracted underneath the rear window shelf, the guide rails are located near the winding shaft and extend past it. The guide rails can define a surface which either runs through the belt, or extends tangentially past the belt being formed on the winding shaft when the window shade web is rolled up.
In order for the window shade frame to perform the desired movements, an actuating device is associated with it. In the simplest case the actuating device can be constituted by a spring, which pre-tensions the device in the desired way, or the movement can be derived from the actuating device for the window shade web itself, or alternatively, the window shade frame may be provided with its own actuating device, which is independent of the actuating device for the window shade web.
The seating device for the window shade frame provides two design possibilities. It can be embodied in such a way that in the course of its movement the window shade frame moves around a rotatory axis. The other possibility is an embodiment with a translatory axis. In the one case, pivot bearings are employed, while sliding guides are used in the other case.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which: